Rural Transport Initiative.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 January 2004

Wednesday, 28 January 2004

Ceisteanna (155)

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

271 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a group (details supplied) in County Monaghan was provided with €43,000 to cover a nine month period under the rural transport initiative in 2003, and that in 2004, although it has been asked to increase its activities, its budget for a 12 month period has been reduced to €40,000; his views on whether this type of situation is possible in view of budgetary increases in fuel and other significant cost increases such as insurance; if further funding will be provided at a later stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2358/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

At the outset, I want to clarify that there has been no reduction in the funding provided by my Department for the rural transport initiative, RTI. On the contrary, while €4.4 million was earmarked for the RTI in the national development plan, some €6 million has already been provided for the initiative in the two year period ending December 2003 and further funding of €3 million is being provided for the initiative in 2004.

Specific allocations for individual RTI projects are made from this funding by Area Development Management Limited, ADM, which is managing the RTI on behalf of my Department.

I understand from ADM that in 2003, €43,895 was provided to the Bawn and Latton transport initiative, County Monaghan. In addition, the company received €3,760 arising from the extension of the free travel scheme to the RTI in July 2003. ADM advises that the 2004 RTI allocation for this project is €40,000 respectively before any allocation from the Department of Social and Family Affairs or any funding which individual projects might acquire from other sources.

I have been informed by ADM that the expenditure for 2003 includes expenditure for 2002. This arose as a result of the company being unable to draw down its full allocation from ADM for 2002.

Question No. 272 answered with QuestionNo. 131